Alexander Glazunov and Johann Sebastian Bach
By Judith Eckelmeyer
(GRACE WOODS MUSIC SESSION JANUARY 13, 2025)
Portrait of Glazunov by Ilya Repin, 1887
Alexander Glazunov (1865-1936) was yet another of the child prodigies we have already encountered: Mendelssohn, Mozart, and Amy Beach, for example.
Felix Mendelssohn
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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
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Amy Marcy Cheney Beach
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Born and raised in St. Petersburg, Russia, he was gifted with a superb musical memory and “ear”, which were engaged by age 9 with piano lessons and age 11 with composition activity. By age 14 he was studying composition privately with Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; but he progressed so quickly that in under 2 years the lessons ceased.
Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov
It may then be no wonder that he composed his first symphony, fully orchestrated, at age 16. Mily Balakirev conducted its successful premiere in March of 1882. Later in that year his first string quartet was performed.
In subsequent years Glazunov became the kingpin of the successor generation of the “Russian Five” (Balakirev, Borodin, Cui, Mussorgsky, and Rimsky-Korsakov). He was a talented pianist, prolific composer, and dedicated teacher and administrator, serving as a faculty member and from 1905 director of the St. Petersburg Conservatory for about 30 years. By improving the curriculum there, raising the standards, and supporting the place of the conservatory in the eyes of the public, he created a model for the preparation of professional musicians who were rising in Russia. His early international reputation was made through tours to Paris and England as well as Europe. Oxford and Cambridge Universities awarded him an honorary Doctor of Music. During World War I and the Russian Revolution he continued to compose and perform in spite of much diminished living resources and physical comforts; nevertheless, he received international visitors in his large, cold flat, and stayed active in organizing performing organizations in Russia. Post-war, he traveled widely through Europe and the U.S., finally settling in Paris with his wife and adopted daughter for his final years.
Glazunov’s Symphony no. 1 in E, Op. 5, follows traditional patterns of 4 movements—fast, slow, dance, fast—but has a refreshing spirit of action and rhythmic invention, particularly in the first movement. After its premiere he made some revisions which remain a fixture in the work today. Eight further symphonies followed but seem to be among the vast number of works unrepresented in today’s concert world, as are his 2 piano concertos and a concerto for alto saxophone and many other.
Glazunov’s Symphony no. 1 in E, Op. 5, follows traditional patterns of 4 movements—fast, slow, dance, fast—but has a refreshing spirit of action and rhythmic invention, particularly in the first movement. After its premiere he made some revisions which remain a fixture in the work today. Eight further symphonies followed but seem to be among the vast number of works unrepresented in today’s concert world, as are his 2 piano concertos and a concerto for alto saxophone and many other.
Symphony No 1 in E Major op 5 by Alexander Glazunov
USSR Ministry of Culture Symphony Orchestra Gennadi Rozhdestvensky, conductor
USSR Ministry of Culture Symphony Orchestra Gennadi Rozhdestvensky, conductor
1746 portrait of Johann Sebastian Bach
We are well aware today of the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, his prolific compositional output, extraordinary performance capability with keyboard and string instruments, and even his contributions to organ-building enterprises in early 18th-century Germany. We tend to forget that, with three or more talented sons, he took the role of teacher to ground them for careers in music. Beyond that, he was also a creator of numerous pedagogical series of compositions for “Kenners und Liebhabers”—the knowledgeable and the amateurs outside his family circle.
One pedagogical collection is the Well-Tempered Keyboard, a series of preludes and fugues in every major and minor key, twice over. Bach wrote the first set while in Cöthen, finishing it in 1722; the second volume came from his Leipzig years, the late 1730s and first half of the 1740s. Over the subsequent years, decades and centuries, numerous editions of this massive series have appeared, each attempting to produce the “authentic” version. But so complicated in the history of the editions that for the present the standard appears to be the Bach-Gesellschaft edition, the earliest “complete” publication of Bach’s works taking about 50 years to complete. The original society was dissolved, and a New Bach Gesellschaft began work on a succeeding revision with additions as they became available.
The value of the collection is multifold. It is a compendium of techniques for composers, especially of fugues; a training ground for keyboardists; and a practical example of the new tuning system, equal temperament, which would eventually supplant older tunings such as mean-tone temperament. This meant that any composition could be transposed to any key and sound with the same relative “in-tuneness”; other tuning systems would make only certain intervals—octaves and fifths, primarily—sound in tune, but the unlucky other intervals would sound more or less harsh, depending on where on the keyboard they fell. Bach’s writing for all keys, 12 major and 12 minor, proved the importance of “equal temperament”.
The German title of the two collections is Das Wohltempierte Klavier (I and II). In addition to the reference to the tuning system, the performing instrument is in the title. It is NOT a reference to the clavichord, which, like a piano, has volume control by the performer’s touch, but rather to the generic KEYBOARD. Some late 19th-century editions refer to piano and organ. But the common keyboard instrument for all but churches was the HARPSICHORD. This instrument, which could be built in any number of sizes, usually had more than one keyboard and thus more than one set of strings, each with its own tone color; the performer could alter the tone color by engaging various mechanical devices such as mutes, or alter the pitch range, much like an organ. That the strings were plucked, not struck, created the recognizably characteristic sound of the instrument—much different than that of a piano or organ.
And with regard to the harpsichord performance of Bach’s music, we need to address one of the most influential musicians in returning the harpsichord to the ears of the public after about 150 years of its absence. This performer was Polish-born Wanda Landowska (1879-1959). Introduced to Bach’s music early in her piano studies, she became devoted to his music, and especially to striving to present it on the instrument of his time, the harpsichord. As she began to research and present concerts of his music, she was at first relegated to the inadequate versions of the instrument available at the time, which had a thin metallic quality. She began to work with instrument builders of the Pleyel company in France, who began modifying the construction concept of the harpsichord and building large instruments with wooden frames instead of the metal frames like the piano, in order to approach the sound and quality of Bach’s instruments. Along with the development of the harpsichord her command of the instrument became increasingly fluent, expressive, and virtuosic.
Owing to her detailed and dedicated study of Bach’s manuscripts, her performances of his music were sometimes considered idiosyncratic by some of her contemporaries, although she maintained the accuracy of her understanding of his style. The renowned cellist Pablo Casals was also an avid performer of Bach. On a visit to Landowska in 1941, he and she discussed some technical aspects of performing Bach’s ornaments, with differing opinions. She finally said to him: “Let us not fight any more. Continue to play Bach your way and I, his way.” (From a letter by an eyewitness, Denise Restout, Landowska’s pupil, assistant, friend and companion from 1933 until her death.)
Landowska’s reputation as a scholar, composer, teacher and performer was further enhanced by compositions written for her by Francis Poulenc and Manuel de Falla.
One pedagogical collection is the Well-Tempered Keyboard, a series of preludes and fugues in every major and minor key, twice over. Bach wrote the first set while in Cöthen, finishing it in 1722; the second volume came from his Leipzig years, the late 1730s and first half of the 1740s. Over the subsequent years, decades and centuries, numerous editions of this massive series have appeared, each attempting to produce the “authentic” version. But so complicated in the history of the editions that for the present the standard appears to be the Bach-Gesellschaft edition, the earliest “complete” publication of Bach’s works taking about 50 years to complete. The original society was dissolved, and a New Bach Gesellschaft began work on a succeeding revision with additions as they became available.
The value of the collection is multifold. It is a compendium of techniques for composers, especially of fugues; a training ground for keyboardists; and a practical example of the new tuning system, equal temperament, which would eventually supplant older tunings such as mean-tone temperament. This meant that any composition could be transposed to any key and sound with the same relative “in-tuneness”; other tuning systems would make only certain intervals—octaves and fifths, primarily—sound in tune, but the unlucky other intervals would sound more or less harsh, depending on where on the keyboard they fell. Bach’s writing for all keys, 12 major and 12 minor, proved the importance of “equal temperament”.
The German title of the two collections is Das Wohltempierte Klavier (I and II). In addition to the reference to the tuning system, the performing instrument is in the title. It is NOT a reference to the clavichord, which, like a piano, has volume control by the performer’s touch, but rather to the generic KEYBOARD. Some late 19th-century editions refer to piano and organ. But the common keyboard instrument for all but churches was the HARPSICHORD. This instrument, which could be built in any number of sizes, usually had more than one keyboard and thus more than one set of strings, each with its own tone color; the performer could alter the tone color by engaging various mechanical devices such as mutes, or alter the pitch range, much like an organ. That the strings were plucked, not struck, created the recognizably characteristic sound of the instrument—much different than that of a piano or organ.
And with regard to the harpsichord performance of Bach’s music, we need to address one of the most influential musicians in returning the harpsichord to the ears of the public after about 150 years of its absence. This performer was Polish-born Wanda Landowska (1879-1959). Introduced to Bach’s music early in her piano studies, she became devoted to his music, and especially to striving to present it on the instrument of his time, the harpsichord. As she began to research and present concerts of his music, she was at first relegated to the inadequate versions of the instrument available at the time, which had a thin metallic quality. She began to work with instrument builders of the Pleyel company in France, who began modifying the construction concept of the harpsichord and building large instruments with wooden frames instead of the metal frames like the piano, in order to approach the sound and quality of Bach’s instruments. Along with the development of the harpsichord her command of the instrument became increasingly fluent, expressive, and virtuosic.
Owing to her detailed and dedicated study of Bach’s manuscripts, her performances of his music were sometimes considered idiosyncratic by some of her contemporaries, although she maintained the accuracy of her understanding of his style. The renowned cellist Pablo Casals was also an avid performer of Bach. On a visit to Landowska in 1941, he and she discussed some technical aspects of performing Bach’s ornaments, with differing opinions. She finally said to him: “Let us not fight any more. Continue to play Bach your way and I, his way.” (From a letter by an eyewitness, Denise Restout, Landowska’s pupil, assistant, friend and companion from 1933 until her death.)
Landowska’s reputation as a scholar, composer, teacher and performer was further enhanced by compositions written for her by Francis Poulenc and Manuel de Falla.
Bach's The Well-Tempered Clavier by Wanda Landowska
The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1 BWV 846-869
Prelude & Fugue #1 In C/C-dur/Ut Majeur, BWV 846 (00:00) ; (02:26)
Prelude & Fugue #2 In C Minor/c-moll/Ut mineur, BWV 847 (04:15) ; (06:14)
Prelude & Fugue #3 In C Sharp/Cis-dur/Ut dièse Majeur, BWV 848 (08:01) ; (09:17)
Prelude & Fugue #4 In C Sharp Minor/cis-moll/Ut dièse mineur, BWV 849 (11:40) ; (14:27)
Prelude & Fugue #5 In D/D-dur/Ré Majeur, BWV 850 (19:55) ; (21:14)
Prelude & Fugue #6 In D Minor/d-moll/Ré mineur, BWV 851 (23:03) ; (24:33)
Prelude & Fugue #7 In E Flat/Es-dur/Mi bémol Majeur, BWV 852 (26:27) ; (32:24)
Prelude & Fugue #8 In E Flat Minor/es-moll/Mi bémol mineur, BWV 853 (34:16) ; (37:25)
Prelude & Fugue #9 In E/E-dur/Mi Majeur, BWV 854 (44:28) ; (46:06)
Prelude & Fugue #10 In E Minor/e-moll/Mi mineur, BWV 855 (47:36) ; (50:33)
Prelude & Fugue #11 In F/F-dur/Fa Majeur, BWV 856 (51:54) ; (5309)
Prelude & Fugue #12 In F Minor/f-moll/Fa mineur, BWV 857 (54:36) ; (57:05)
Prelude & Fugue #13 In F Sharp/Fis-dur/Fa dièse Majeur, BWV 858 (1:03:43) ; (1:05:17)
Prelude & Fugue #14 In F Sharp Minor/fis-moll/Fa dièse mineur, BWV 859 (1:07:13) ; (1:08:33)
Prelude & Fugue #15 In G/G-dur/Sol Majeur, BWV 860 (1:12:54) ; (1:13:57)
Prelude & Fugue #16 In G Minor/g-moll/Sol mineur, BWV 861 (1:17:05) ; (1:19:15)
Prelude & Fugue #17 In A Flat/As-dur/La bémol Majeur, BWV 862 (1:23:25) ; (1:25:00)
Prelude & Fugue #18 In G Sharp Minor/gis-moll/Sol dièse mineur, BWV 863 (1:28:33) ; (1:30:14)
Prelude & Fugue #19 In A/A-dur/La Majeur, BWV 864 (1:33:03) ; (1:34:41)
Prelude & Fugue #20 In A Minor/a-moll/La mineur, BWV 865 (1:37:48) ; (1:39:13)
Prelude & Fugue #21 In B Flat/B-dur/Si bémol Majeur, BWV 866 (1:44:32) ; (1:46:02)
Prelude & Fugue #22 In B Flat Minor/b-moll/Si bémol mineur, BWV 867 (1:48:00) ; (1:51:24)
Prelude & Fugue #23 In B/H-dur/Si Majeur, BWV 868 (1:55:30) ; (1:57:32)
Prelude & Fugue #24 In B Minor/h-moll/Si mineur, BWV 869 (1:59:53) ; (2:03:05)
The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2 BWV 870-893
Prelude & Fugue #1 In C/C-dur/Ut Majeur, BWV 870 (2:12:19) ; (2:15:45)
Prelude & Fugue #2 In C Minor/c-moll/Ut mineur, BWV 871 (2:17:46) ; (2:20:03)
Prelude & Fugue #3 In C Sharp/cis-moll/Ut dièse, BWV 872 (2:24:08) ; (2:27:15)
Prelude & Fugue #4 In C Sharp Minor/cis-moll/Ut dièse mineur, BWV 873 (2:29:27) ; (2:33:45)
Prelude & Fugue #5 In D/D-dur/Ré Majeur, BWV 874 (2:37:04) ; (2:40:50)
Prelude & Fugue #6 In D Minor/d-moll/Ré mineur, BWV 875 (2:46:04) ; (2:47:51)
Prelude & Fugue #7 In E Flat/Es-dur/Mi bémol Majeur, BWV 876 (2:50:40) ; (2:53:41)
Prelude & Fugue #8 In D Sharp Minor/dis-moll/Ré dièse mineur, BWV 877 (2:55:37) ; (3:00:43)
Prelude & Fugue #9 In E/E-dur/Mi Majeur, BWV 878 (3:06:42) ; (3:10:31)
Prelude & Fugue #10 In E Minor/e-moll/Mi mineur, BWV 879 (3:13:49) ; (3:18:22)
Prelude & Fugue #11 In F/F-dur/Fa Majeur, BWV 880 (3:22:06) ; (3:27:59)
Prelude & Fugue #12 In F Minor/f-moll/Fa mineur, BWV 881 (3:30:16) ; (3:35:41)
Prelude & Fugue #13 In F Sharp/Fis-dur/Fa dièse Majeur, BWV 882 (3:38:16) ; (3:41:58)
Prelude & Fugue #14 In F Sharp Minor/fis-moll/Fa dièse mineur, BWV 883 (3:44:44) ; (3:48:24)
Prelude & Fugue #15 In G/G-dur/Sol Majeur, BWV 884 (3:57:17) ; (4:01:07)
Prelude & Fugue #16 In G Minor/g-moll/Sol mineur, BWV 885 (4:02:41) ; (4:06:15)
Prelude & Fugue #17 In A Flat/As-dur/La bémol Majeur, BWV 886 (4:10:27) ; (4:15:19)
Prelude & Fugue #18 In G Sharp Minor/gis-moll/Sol dièse mineur, BWV 887 (4:20:16) ; (4:25:53)
Prelude & Fugue #19 In A/A-dur/La Majeur, BWV 888 (4:31:16) ; (4:33:16)
Prelude & Fugue #20 In A Minor/a-moll/La mineur, BWV 889 (4:35:11) ; (4:38:39)
Prelude & Fugue #21 In B Flat/B-dur/Si bémol Majeur, BWV 890 (4:40:55) ; (4:45:34)
Prelude & Fugue #22 In B Flat Minor/b-moll/Si bémol mineur, BWV 891 (4:49:36) ; (4:54:51)
Prelude & Fugue #23 In B/H-dur/Si Majeur, BWV 892 (5:00:25) ; (5:03:13)
Prelude & Fugue #24 In B Minor/h-moll/Si mineur, BWV 893 (5:06:50) ; (5:10:07)
Prelude & Fugue #1 In C/C-dur/Ut Majeur, BWV 846 (00:00) ; (02:26)
Prelude & Fugue #2 In C Minor/c-moll/Ut mineur, BWV 847 (04:15) ; (06:14)
Prelude & Fugue #3 In C Sharp/Cis-dur/Ut dièse Majeur, BWV 848 (08:01) ; (09:17)
Prelude & Fugue #4 In C Sharp Minor/cis-moll/Ut dièse mineur, BWV 849 (11:40) ; (14:27)
Prelude & Fugue #5 In D/D-dur/Ré Majeur, BWV 850 (19:55) ; (21:14)
Prelude & Fugue #6 In D Minor/d-moll/Ré mineur, BWV 851 (23:03) ; (24:33)
Prelude & Fugue #7 In E Flat/Es-dur/Mi bémol Majeur, BWV 852 (26:27) ; (32:24)
Prelude & Fugue #8 In E Flat Minor/es-moll/Mi bémol mineur, BWV 853 (34:16) ; (37:25)
Prelude & Fugue #9 In E/E-dur/Mi Majeur, BWV 854 (44:28) ; (46:06)
Prelude & Fugue #10 In E Minor/e-moll/Mi mineur, BWV 855 (47:36) ; (50:33)
Prelude & Fugue #11 In F/F-dur/Fa Majeur, BWV 856 (51:54) ; (5309)
Prelude & Fugue #12 In F Minor/f-moll/Fa mineur, BWV 857 (54:36) ; (57:05)
Prelude & Fugue #13 In F Sharp/Fis-dur/Fa dièse Majeur, BWV 858 (1:03:43) ; (1:05:17)
Prelude & Fugue #14 In F Sharp Minor/fis-moll/Fa dièse mineur, BWV 859 (1:07:13) ; (1:08:33)
Prelude & Fugue #15 In G/G-dur/Sol Majeur, BWV 860 (1:12:54) ; (1:13:57)
Prelude & Fugue #16 In G Minor/g-moll/Sol mineur, BWV 861 (1:17:05) ; (1:19:15)
Prelude & Fugue #17 In A Flat/As-dur/La bémol Majeur, BWV 862 (1:23:25) ; (1:25:00)
Prelude & Fugue #18 In G Sharp Minor/gis-moll/Sol dièse mineur, BWV 863 (1:28:33) ; (1:30:14)
Prelude & Fugue #19 In A/A-dur/La Majeur, BWV 864 (1:33:03) ; (1:34:41)
Prelude & Fugue #20 In A Minor/a-moll/La mineur, BWV 865 (1:37:48) ; (1:39:13)
Prelude & Fugue #21 In B Flat/B-dur/Si bémol Majeur, BWV 866 (1:44:32) ; (1:46:02)
Prelude & Fugue #22 In B Flat Minor/b-moll/Si bémol mineur, BWV 867 (1:48:00) ; (1:51:24)
Prelude & Fugue #23 In B/H-dur/Si Majeur, BWV 868 (1:55:30) ; (1:57:32)
Prelude & Fugue #24 In B Minor/h-moll/Si mineur, BWV 869 (1:59:53) ; (2:03:05)
The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2 BWV 870-893
Prelude & Fugue #1 In C/C-dur/Ut Majeur, BWV 870 (2:12:19) ; (2:15:45)
Prelude & Fugue #2 In C Minor/c-moll/Ut mineur, BWV 871 (2:17:46) ; (2:20:03)
Prelude & Fugue #3 In C Sharp/cis-moll/Ut dièse, BWV 872 (2:24:08) ; (2:27:15)
Prelude & Fugue #4 In C Sharp Minor/cis-moll/Ut dièse mineur, BWV 873 (2:29:27) ; (2:33:45)
Prelude & Fugue #5 In D/D-dur/Ré Majeur, BWV 874 (2:37:04) ; (2:40:50)
Prelude & Fugue #6 In D Minor/d-moll/Ré mineur, BWV 875 (2:46:04) ; (2:47:51)
Prelude & Fugue #7 In E Flat/Es-dur/Mi bémol Majeur, BWV 876 (2:50:40) ; (2:53:41)
Prelude & Fugue #8 In D Sharp Minor/dis-moll/Ré dièse mineur, BWV 877 (2:55:37) ; (3:00:43)
Prelude & Fugue #9 In E/E-dur/Mi Majeur, BWV 878 (3:06:42) ; (3:10:31)
Prelude & Fugue #10 In E Minor/e-moll/Mi mineur, BWV 879 (3:13:49) ; (3:18:22)
Prelude & Fugue #11 In F/F-dur/Fa Majeur, BWV 880 (3:22:06) ; (3:27:59)
Prelude & Fugue #12 In F Minor/f-moll/Fa mineur, BWV 881 (3:30:16) ; (3:35:41)
Prelude & Fugue #13 In F Sharp/Fis-dur/Fa dièse Majeur, BWV 882 (3:38:16) ; (3:41:58)
Prelude & Fugue #14 In F Sharp Minor/fis-moll/Fa dièse mineur, BWV 883 (3:44:44) ; (3:48:24)
Prelude & Fugue #15 In G/G-dur/Sol Majeur, BWV 884 (3:57:17) ; (4:01:07)
Prelude & Fugue #16 In G Minor/g-moll/Sol mineur, BWV 885 (4:02:41) ; (4:06:15)
Prelude & Fugue #17 In A Flat/As-dur/La bémol Majeur, BWV 886 (4:10:27) ; (4:15:19)
Prelude & Fugue #18 In G Sharp Minor/gis-moll/Sol dièse mineur, BWV 887 (4:20:16) ; (4:25:53)
Prelude & Fugue #19 In A/A-dur/La Majeur, BWV 888 (4:31:16) ; (4:33:16)
Prelude & Fugue #20 In A Minor/a-moll/La mineur, BWV 889 (4:35:11) ; (4:38:39)
Prelude & Fugue #21 In B Flat/B-dur/Si bémol Majeur, BWV 890 (4:40:55) ; (4:45:34)
Prelude & Fugue #22 In B Flat Minor/b-moll/Si bémol mineur, BWV 891 (4:49:36) ; (4:54:51)
Prelude & Fugue #23 In B/H-dur/Si Majeur, BWV 892 (5:00:25) ; (5:03:13)
Prelude & Fugue #24 In B Minor/h-moll/Si mineur, BWV 893 (5:06:50) ; (5:10:07)
Judith Eckelmeyer ©2025
Choose Your Direction
The Magic Flute, II,28.
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"(Die Liebe) mag den Weg mit Rosen streun, weil Rosen stets bei Dornen sein"
"(Love) may strew the path with roses, because roses always come with thorns" |
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